How to Grow on Pinterest

Pinterest is far more than a digital recipe box or home decor board, it's a visual search engine designed to help people discover, plan, and purchase. If you’re a creator, brand, or business, ignoring it means leaving a substantial amount of traffic and new customers on the table. This guide cuts through the noise and provides an actionable strategy to help you grow on Pinterest by treating it exactly for what it is - a massive discovery platform just waiting to send its users your way.

Treat Pinterest Like a Search Engine, Not a Social Network

The biggest mistake people make on Pinterest is approaching it like Instagram or Facebook. Users aren’t on Pinterest to see what their friends are up to, they are actively searching for ideas, solutions, and products. They are planning their future - be it a vacation, a home remodel, a new wardrobe, or dinner for tonight. This requires a fundamental mindset shift. Your goal isn't just to post pretty pictures but to provide the answer to someone's search query. Everything you do, from setting up your profile to creating your pins, should be built around this idea.

Set Up Your Profile for Success

Before you publish a single Pin, your profile needs to be optimized to attract the right people and give you the tools you need to grow.

• Switch to a Business Account: If you're using a personal profile, convert it to a free Business Account immediately. This unlocks Pinterest Analytics, the ability to run ads, and other essential tools that provide direct insight into what’s working.
• Claim Your Website: This is a simple but powerful step. Claiming your website links your Pinterest account to your domain, which provides more in-depth analytics on the content people are saving from your site. It also adds your profile picture and a "Follow" button to Pins originating from your website, boosting your authority.
• Optimize Your Bio and Name: Your display name and bio are prime real estate for keywords. Don't just put your brand name, include a term that describes what you do or who you help. For example, instead of just "The Cozy Home," use "The Cozy Home | Easy DIY & Budget Decor." Your bio should expand on this, clearly stating what a user can expect from your content.
• Create Relevant, Keyword-Rich Boards: Boards are how you organize your Pins into categories. They function like folders, making it easy for users (and the Pinterest algorithm) to understand the topics you cover. Name your boards with clear, searchable terms your audience would use. Instead of a vague board title like “My Faves,” use something specific like “Minimalist Home Office Ideas.” Write a short, keyword-rich description for each board as well.

Mastering Pinterest Keywords: Think Like Your Audience

Since Pinterest is a search engine, keywords are the language it speaks. You need to find the exact terms and phrases your ideal customer is typing into the search bar. When you align your content with those search terms, Pinterest will show your Pins to a highly interested audience. Thankfully, Pinterest provides all the tools you need to find them.

1. The Pinterest Search Bar Autocomplete

This is the fastest way to find popular search terms. Start typing a broad keyword related to your niche (e.g., "vegan dinner") into the search bar, and Pinterest will automatically suggest a list of longer, more specific keywords that people are actively searching for (e.g., "vegan dinner recipes high protein," "vegan dinner party ideas"). These are direct insights into user intent.

2. The "Related Searches" Bubbles

After you run a search, look at the colorful bubbles that appear just below the search bar. These represent related search terms and popular sub-niches. For a search like "living room ideas," you might see bubbles for "living room ideas modern," "living room ideas apartment," or "living room ideas on a budget." These are goldmines for content ideas and additional keywords.

3. Analyze Competitor Pins and Boards

See what's already gaining traction. Look up a few popular accounts in your niche and examine the keywords they are using in their Pin titles, descriptions, and board names. Don’t copy them, but use their strategy as inspiration to find proven terms. If it's working for them, it’s a good sign that your audience is searching for similar ideas.

Where to Place Your Keywords for Maximum Impact

Finding keywords is only half the battle. You need to place them where the Pinterest algorithm (and users) will find them. Focus on these four spots:

• Pin Titles: This is the most important placement. Be direct and use your primary keyword here.
• Pin Descriptions: Write a few natural-sounding sentences that include your primary and secondary keywords. Tell the user what the Pin is about and why they should click.
• Board Titles & Descriptions: Make sure your board titles and descriptions clearly communicate the board's topic using relevant keywords.
• Text on Your Pin Image: Pinterest's visual recognition technology reads the text directly on your Pin designs. A clear, keyword-driven headline on your image not only attracts clicks but also gives the algorithm more context.

Designing Pins That People Actually Click

In a sea of visual content, your Pins need to stand out instantly. A weak design - no matter how great the content it links to - will be ignored. A well-designed Pin doesn't require master-level graphic design skills, but it does mean following a few simple principles.

The Anatomy of a High-Performing Pin

• Use a Vertical Format: This is a non-negotiable rule. Pinterest is a mobile-first platform, and vertical Pins take up the most screen real estate. Stick to a 2:3 aspect ratio, with 1000px by 1500px being the ideal recommended size.
• Choose High-Quality Imagery/Video: Your photos and videos should be sharp, well-lit, and clear. Avoid blurry, pixelated, or out-of-focus visuals at all costs. Stock photo sites like Pexels or Unsplash are great resources if you don't have your own high-quality photography.
• Add a Bold Text Overlay: Your Pin graphic should include a headline. Use a clear, easy-to-read font and make it large enough to be legible on small mobile screens. The headline should communicate the value of clicking through - what problem will you solve, or what idea will you deliver?
• Subtle Branding is Best: Include your logo or website URL on the bottom of every Pin graphic. It shouldn't overpower the design, but it should be consistent enough that people begin to recognize your content as they scroll. This helps build brand awareness and discourages content theft.

Idea Pins vs. Standard Pins: What to Use and When

Pinterest offers two main Pin formats, and a good strategy uses both. Knowing the purpose of each one will help you get the best results.

• Standard Pins: Think of these as the workhorses of your Pinterest presence. These are the classic single-image or single-video Pins that have one goal: to get someone to click the link and visit your website, blog, or product landing page. Standard Pins are your primary tool for driving outbound traffic.
• Idea Pins: Similar to Instagram Stories or Reels, Idea Pins are multi-page Pins that can combine video, images, and text. Their main purpose is to build an audience and foster engagement on the Pinterest platform itself. Idea Pins don’t have a prominent website link. Use them for quick tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, listicles, or brand storytelling. They're excellent for growing followers and establishing your authority on the platform itself.

Your strategy should be a healthy mix. Use Standard Pins for all of your core, traffic-driving content, and sprinkle in Idea Pins a few times a week to grow your on-platform community and showcase your brand's personality.

Your Pinning Strategy: Consistency Over Intensity

The era of pinning dozens of times per day is over. Today, Pinterest's algorithm values consistency and, most importantly, fresh content. Quality now matters more than quantity.

What is a "Fresh Pin"?

Most experts recommend pinning between 3 to 10 new Pins a day. The key is that they should be "fresh Pins." A fresh Pin is simply a new image or video that hasn't been seen on Pinterest before. While the link may be the same (e.g., it points to a blog post), the Pin graphic itself should be different. A "fresh Pin" isn't just about publishing new blog content, but also about creating multiple Pin designs for your existing content.

Create Multiple Pins for Each Piece of Content

If you write a new blog post about "Healthy Breakfast Ideas," you should create at least 5-10 unique Pins with different images, titles, and headlines that all link back to that same post. This allows you to test different visuals and angles while consistently feeding the algorithm the fresh-looking content that it loves.

Scheduling: The Key to Staying Consistent

Consistency is critical, but it's also time-consuming. Nobody wants to be logging into Pinterest multiple times a day to share content. That's where scheduling comes in. By planning and scheduling your content in batches, you can maintain a consistent Pinning rhythm without the daily grind. You can create dozens of Pins in an afternoon and schedule them to be spread out throughout the week or month, ensuring a steady stream of content that the algorithm wants to see.

Using Pinterest Analytics to Guide Your Growth

Pinterest's Analytics dashboard is your roadmap for understanding what's working and what isn't. It tells you exactly which Pins are resonating with your audience, which boards are driving traffic to your site, and which topics you should focus on more. Focus on these three key metrics:

• Impressions: How many people saw your Pin in their feed.
• Saves: How many people saved your Pin to their boards. This is a strong signal of a Pin's value and a good indicator that the content resonates with users.
• Outbound Clicks: The ultimate metric for driving traffic. How many people actually clicked through to your website or blog. These are the Pins you should be trying to optimize for.

When reviewing analytics, don't just look at the numbers - look for patterns. Every month, review your top five to ten Pins. What do they have in common? Are they video Pins or static images with bold text? What specific topics are they covering? As soon as you see a pattern (e.g., Pins with a pink background always perform well), do more of what's working.

Final Thoughts

Growing on Pinterest comes down to two things: consistently treating it like a search engine and creating content that people actually want to save and click. Execute your strategy with a focus on keywords and fresh, clickable Pin designs, and you'll open a powerful new channel for traffic to your website and build a brand community full of engaged fans who are looking for exactly what you have to offer.

When implementing your new content strategy, staying organized is essential to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Planning and scheduling all of your Pins is crucial, especially since you need to create multiple versions for every blog post. For that, we use Postbase to make our social media content scheduling seamless. Creating your Pins on a visual calendar allows you to stay consistent across platforms and visualize your community messaging in one place. It helps support a solid workflow so your content strategy never gets derailed.